Long Nights
by MandalorianHybrid
Summary: Ahkmenrah finds something new at the British Museum.
1. Chapter 1

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**Long Nights**

Ahkmenrah welcomed the change in scenery. He liked to travel and now that he was able to get out of his tomb made the experience of waking every night all the more enjoyable. But he missed New York. He missed the friends he'd made from Larry and Nick to the exhibits. Everything in England was so new it took a bit of getting used to.

Seeing his parents was a wonderful treat though. He was glad to see they'd survived so long and hadn't been looted of pillaged in their years beneath the ground. He was even gladder for the chance to speak with them again. They had a few questions about what had changed during their centuries beneath the ground. While he couldn't tell them everything, he could fill in a great deal.

It was during the hustle and bustle of the night life that he was able to forget. He was able to forget that despite the friends and family, he was missing something very important. He was missing someone to share it with. Seeing his parents together again only made the feeling more pronounced. What he wouldn't give to have someone he cared for that cared for him.

"Did you hear me, son?" Merenkahre asked.

Ahk jolted back into reality. He hadn't realized he'd drifted into his thoughts while he and his father were on their nightly walk.

"No, father." He answered. "Apologies."

"What troubles you, my son?" he asked.

The aged Pharaoh paused in step and turned to face his son. Ahkmenrah averted his father's eyes for a moment or two. He was embarrassed about what had forced him out of the conversation and didn't wish to relay it, but his father was once his confidant, so it would make sense he could be again.

"It's just…" he hesitated briefly. "You and mother, you seem so happy, even still."

A slow, understanding smile crossed Merenkahre's lips. He nodded.

"It is understandable." He replied. Ahkmenrah peered up through his lashes looking so much like a lost little boy. "But surely, there is someone here?"

Ahk glanced around. The museum was again filled with statues, paintings and figures moving around, talking amongst themselves and enjoying their time awake, but none of them were anything he was interested in.

When he was alive, Ahkmenrah's marriage was arranged just as his parents' had been, but he was never given the chance to follow through with the ceremony. He died before being married which meant no children and no wife to be buried alongside him.

After hesitating to find an answer, Ahkmenrah was interrupted. The moment his mouth opened, Tilly –their night guard- came into view.

"Whoa," she smiled. "It's the kings." She let out a light giggle which both of them had come to think as charming. "I thought you guys for sure'd be in the East Wing."

"And why's that Guardian?" Merenkahre asked in his typical regal tone.

Ahk sighed internally. He'd told his father multiple times that Tilly was not their guardian. She was in charge of watching over the museum, not the royal family, but he still seemed to think that because they were 'the most important displays' that naturally they were the ones she had to protect the most.

"Well, cause we got more mummies in." she said as though she was confused they didn't know. Their collective brows pulled together.

"More mummies?" Ahk asked.

"Yeah. A couple, I think."

The youngest Pharaoh looked to his father. A silent agreement passed between them and soon they set off towards the people from their homeland.

At some point Ahk had pulled ahead of his father, though why he wasn't sure. They were both curious as to who from their land had come to the museum. Was it someone they knew? Was it a great king from before their time? Perhaps more family? Whoever it was, they had to know.

Mid-journey, Shepseheret –Ahkmenrah's mother- joined them. She was just as excited as they were.

When they rounded the final corner, the three were greeted with a sign telling them everything within the newly setup –and recently abandoned- wing was on loan from the Vatican Museums. Near the rear of it were the little bits of Egyptian artifacts they had brought.

Their pace slowed a bit as they took in what had been brought. Most of it was art, moving hieroglyphs and the like, but in the very back was a sarcophagus. It was rocking violently from side to side, shaking as the one inside tried to escape. The closer they stepped, the more they could hear the muffled screams from within. It made Ahk's hair stand end. He knew he must have looked the same to the previous night guards in New York. No wonder they hadn't let him out sooner.

But, knowing what it was like to be stuck inside a coffin, Ahkmenrah wanted to release whoever was concealed within.

"Father, please." He said.

Merenkahre handed his staff to his wife and joined his son on one side of the sarcophagus. Together they shoved as hard as they could. The lid toppled to the ground with a heavy clunk.

Immediately the body within sat up and they could see why the poor individual hadn't been able to free themself. Their wrappings were still firmly securing their arms to their chest preventing them from moving. Ahk rushed forward to help.

"It's alright." He said as he began to tug and break the withered bindings. "You're safe."

But they hardly calmed and he didn't expect them to. Waking in your tomb is a jarring process. He'd been doing it every night since he was buried. It was a side effect of being buried with his tablet.

The moment their hands were free, the mummy began to tug at their face and rip away the last bits of bindings. Frantic and erratic, Ahk and his parents had no choice but to stand back. There was a real chance whoever was in the tomb would react violently.

The sound of tearing fabric filled the air and soon there was headway. Tuffs of black hair shined through the dusty cloth and with one final yank it came free. Long ebony hair spilled out. The same moment their mouth was free, the mummy spun to the side and coughed over the edge of the sarcophagus. Soon it was just heavy, panting breathing.

Calmness took over. Eventually the mummy was no longer struggling to do anything and simply breathed. Ahk –being braver than his parents- took marginal steps forward. He tentatively reached out to touch the newcomer's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked calmly.

"_Where,"_ a soft voice breathed in a language all too familiar to the trio. _"Where am I?"_

"_You're in the British Museum."_ Ahkmenrah answered in his native tongue. It felt both odd and welcoming to speak again. "_What's your name?"_

The small framed newcomer ran their fingers through their hair, pulling it back and out of the way to better see those staring. Ahkmenrah felt his breath catch.

A young woman peered at him through tendrils of long black hair. She was perhaps his age and beautiful. Her face was heart-shaped, her cheeks high and lips full, but it was her eyes that held his attention. They were ice blue. While his were green –another uncommon color with his people- hers were the brightest he'd ever seen. They were the color of the sky and just as piercing.

"_Isis,_" she finally answered. _"My name is Isis."_ Her eyes fell to Ahk, the closest to her, and he felt his back shudder. _"What's a British Museum?"_


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter**** 2**

Isis continued to stare at Ahkmenrah, waiting for him to speak, to tell her what a museum was, and anything else that would clarify her current situation. She needed him to tell her what was happening because she didn't know and the fear that was gathering inside was almost crippling. But he had trouble finding words.

Ahk was still gawking with his mouth lax and his eyes wide. He had slipped into his own world, lost in a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. Thankfully, while he was incapable of the simplest task, his parents were more than willing to move on.

"_And I am Shepseheret, the glittering jewel of the nine kingdoms."_

His mother's commanding, but delicate voice shocked him back into reality. He felt control over his limbs slowly coming back and was grateful for it.

"_And this is our son,"_ she continued. It was clear to the elder monarchs that Ahk may not have been able to introduce himself properly so she decided to take the opportunity. "_Ahkmenrah, the Fourth King of the Four Kings."_

Isis' eyes traveled again to the young man in gold. This time he smiled kindly to her, gently bowed his head and offered his hand. Still confused, but no longer willing to remain in her sarcophagus, Isis took it and with his aid stood.

The thick wooden coffin was nearly three feet from the ground which gave her little to nothing to step on in between. Once she was standing, Ahkmenrah surprised them all by wrapping his hands around her muslin covered waist. He lifted her as much as was needed for her to step out of the sarcophagus and reach the ground safely.

"_Thank you."_ She said softly. Ahkmenrah smiled gently and nodded. She took a few steps back and turned to face the three beings glittering in gold. "_I am sorry, but I don't know who you are."_

Shock ripped through their features. They would have assumed that everyone from Egypt knew who they were.

While his parents were busy trying to come to terms with the fact that one of their own people had no idea who they were, Ahkmenrah had the wherewithal to check her display. He stepped around the sarcophagus to the front of the platform and lifted the edge of the lid out of the way so he could better read the placard.

"_Isis,"_ he read. "_Believed to have been born sometime in the mid-twenty seventh century BC, archeologists also assume the young woman was a consort of the Pharaoh Djoser. Isis was given a kingly burial with riches and treasures generally reserved for those of high standing or the royal family."_

"_Ah!" _ Merenkahre declared with a smile. He finally understood why she didn't know his name or that of his son. "_Well it is no wonder you don't recognize us. Djoser was my grandfather. _He smiled, not noticing the shock on the young woman's face. "_He must have cared for you greatly. Not many concubines receive such a wondrous sarcophagus."_

"_I am not a concubine!" _she snapped loudly. Her outburst stunned the trio, but not as much as the words being read about her. Flustered, Isis stepped around her coffin and to Ahkmenrah's side. _"Show me where these lies are written."_

He said nothing and pointed to the black plaque with gold writing. He noticed her brows pull together as she tried to read the English lettering.

"_What do those etchings mean?"_ she demanded. She was clearly angered by what the so-called scholars had decided she was. Isis turned and squared herself on the family once again and made sure she had their attention before she introduced herself properly. "_I am Isis, daughter of the Great Imhotep and Guardian of the Tomb of our god Osiris."_

No one spoke for a moment or two as they allowed her declaration to sink in. After his time, everyone in Egypt had heard of the great Imhotep. He was responsible for so many things that advanced their people. Imhotep was renowned as not only an architect, but a doctor, author and a priest.

Like with most of the prominent back then, there were rumors that he was descended from the Gods. The rumor extended to his child as well. They say that Imhotep prayed to the goddess Isis for a child. He was rewarded with a daughter who he named after the goddess and swore she would protect the Osiris' resting place as his way of thanks. Whether the legends were true or not, Imhotep sent Isis to the temple of Philae where she lived the rest of her short life dedicated to the Gods. When she died, she was given a kingly burial just like her father.

Storytelling was a trait the Egyptians cultivated through the ancient reign of the pharaohs. It was not only how they explained things, but also how they showed their respect to certain people. Besides, who's to say some of the stories weren't true? After all, Ahmenrah and his family were brought back to life on a nightly basis because his father made a deal with the moon God.

"_Now please,"_ her voice had turned soft again. When she spoke, her eyes darted around and noticed everything walking through the halls behind her. _"Will someone please explain what's happening and why I woke tied in a sarcophagus?"_

Merenkahre stepped forward. His face was solemn and when he spoke his voice reflected the emotion.

"_You died, child."_ He told her bluntly. Isis gasped softly as though the air had been taken from her. "_You were in your sarcophagus because you died over four thousand years ago."_

Her jaw was lax and her eyes began to tint pink. It looked as though she was nearing tears, which they understood. Not only was waking for the first time a jarring experience, it forced one to realize they had indeed died.

"_No…"_ she muttered. Isis began to take slow steps back and shake her head. "_No, no, no."_

She continued to move away from the three and her tomb. She wanted nothing to do with it. This was a trick of some kind.

When she had backed away nearly fifteen feet, Isis suddenly sprang into action. She spun on her heels and raced towards the exit. Her sarcophagus was nestled in the back of an alcove, a dead-end, and she had to escape. The trouble was, Isis was running straight into the thick of madness.

"_Wait!"_ Ahkmenrah called, but she didn't hear him. Without waiting for his parents, the young King followed suit. He felt a bit responsible for her. It was his tablet that brought her back after all.

Ahk's robes weighed him down, but the wrappings on Isis' feet made it nearly impossible for her to gain traction. They were equally matched in the race.

She slipped and nearly fell when she turned a corner, but gained her footing once again. Before Ahk could reach the same turn, he heard her scream. He pressed himself harder and slid just as she had. Isis had suddenly confronted the Triceratops that roamed the halls and was frozen solid.

Ahk ran towards her and put himself between the young woman cowering and the boney dinosaur. He put his hands up.

"Trixie, no." he yelled in English to the beast. The giant whimpered like a reprimanded dog. "Sit." And it did without question. Ahkmenrah nodded to the animal and turned to Isis. She was on the ground with her arms above her head to shield herself from the creature. "_It's alright."_ Apprehensively, Isis unfolded her arms and looked up to see Ahk offering his hand. "_You're safe now."_

With the same tentative move, she reached for his offered appendage. He helped her to her feet, smiling as kindly as he could to try and console her, but Isis had trouble looking away from the bleached bones of the animal she didn't recognize.

"_She only wanted to play."_ He explained.

"_What is that creature?"_ she asked in hushed tones as though anything else would cause it to charge.

"_A dinosaur."_ He replied with a light laugh. It drew her eye. _"You're safe. Nothing here will hurt you."_

"_I don't understand."_

He smiled warmly again. _"I'll help you."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ahk laced her arm around his to better steady the young woman who looked as though she would faint. Her eyes were large, her mouth hung slack and her body trembled lightly as she walked through the halls with the young king at her side. Nothing made sense. Things –both wondrous and terrifying- surrounded them.

Great creatures made of metal clanked as they trudged by, slithering and walking alike. More creatures like the one Ahk called Trixie sauntered about without a second glance to the pair and the artwork on the walls moved as though they were alive.

Ahkmenrah watched her as they walked. He had begun explaining things to her after shooing away the Triceratops, but it didn't take him long to realize she didn't hear him. He didn't know if she was simply ignoring him or that she was too petrified to hear, but he assumed the latter.

"_What are these things?"_ she mumbled as they entered another hall. _"Are they demons sent by Set from the Underworld?"_

He smiled softly to himself. He remembered that time when he woke. He remembered suffering through the same uncertainty and frightened he was being tortured and kept from the Underworld for some misdeed. It took him far longer than he would have liked to realize the tablet had forced him to rise during the night.

"_No._" he told her kindly. "_They're just the displays in the museum."_

"_You keep saying that word as though I should understand it."_ She said. Isis turned to face the man beside her and stopped walking as a result "_What does that mean?"_

He was disarmed yet again by her unusual eyes, but was capable enough to gain control over himself. He wasn't as stunned as he had been for her initial reveal.

"_A museum is a place where objects from around the world are brought together for people of all kinds to see them."_ He told her. Ahk was actually a bit proud of his definition. He'd never been told to give one about a museum before and thought he'd done well.

"_But,"_ she looked around briefly. "_These are not Egyptian."_

Ahk chuckled lightly. It drew her eye and forced her to narrow her gaze on the former King. He cleared his throat and did his best to wipe the smile away. He didn't want her to think he was mocking her.

"_The world is bigger than it was in our time."_ He said. "_Come,"_

Ahkmenrah took her arm gently in his again and led her towards an antique map. The beautiful piece was over a hundred years old and set off with other pieces that showed men's exploration of the planet. Granted it was severely outdated, but it would still serve his purposes.

"_This,"_ he said as he led her to the map that was easily a few feet wide on all sides. "_It how large the world truly it. And this,"_ he stepped closer and touched a small blip in the upper right corner of a massive continent. "_Is Egypt."_

"_It's so small by comparison."_ She muttered in awe.

Slowly, Isis slid out of his grasp as she stepped closer to the map. He watched as she stared at it in awe. She reached out tentatively and ran her fingers along the glass keeping the withering map safe. It was all so impressive, so grand, she wasn't entirely sure how to comprehend it all. She couldn't imagine how long it would have taken man to discover it all, which brought someone else to her mind.

Isis pulled her hand back and clutched it to her chest. She felt nothing within, not truly. There was a patter, but it was weak and small. Isis turned to face the young King who'd been watching her silently. He noticed the sadness marring her features and felt his own twist to reflect it.

"_So it's true,"_ she said softly. "_I am dead."_

His brows came together slowly and he nodded.

"_Yes,"_ he answered in the same tone. _"We all are."_

"_How is this possible?"_

"_My tablet."_ He said. She obviously didn't understand. "_My father forged a tablet the night I was born that was given power by the Gods. It was made to ensure that even in death, my family could be together. So, every night, it brings everything nearby to life. In this place,"_ he motioned to everything happening around them. _"It brings paintings, statues and others to life."_

"_And it has always been like this?"_

He nodded.

"_Then why have I only just recently awaken?"_

"_You were brought with a few other displays from another museum. You've only just recently been exposed to the tablet."_

She nodded slowly. Her eyes again drifted to her surroundings. Everything was too new, too strange, for her to understand all at once. He knew it would take her some time.

"Alright!" a voice suddenly bellowed from somewhere unseen. Isis jumped at the thundering sound and raced for Ahk. She hid behind him with eyes on the ceiling to see the source of the call. "We've got twenty minutes till sunrise. Let's clean this place up, yeah?"

"_What is that?"_ she asked in border panic. _"Who was that speaking?"_

"_It's called a PA system."_ He told her as he gently took her hand in his and guided her around him. _"And that was Tilly, the night guard."_

"_What did the Tilly want?"_

He smiled and shook his head briefly. Ahk wondered if he'd ever been so naive and afraid.

"_Not __the__ Tilly. Tilly is her name._" he explained._ "And she was telling us that the sun is about to rise."_

Isis didn't know why that would have mattered. She didn't think it should, but she didn't voice her opinion. Instead, Ahkmenrah led her back the way they came and to her corner of the museum. She froze when she saw her sarcophagus and tried to backpedal.

"_I don't want to go back in that."_ She mumbled.

Ahk felt his chest tighten. He wouldn't imagine she did, but they didn't have a choice. With the sun nearly risen, she had to return to the sarcophagus or risk turning to a mummy on the museum floor.

"_It's alright._" He told her as warmly as he could. It broke his heart when he saw her look up at him with fear-filled eyes. _"You'll just be sleeping."_ While she looked at him, Ahk was able to lead her up to her casket. "_When the night comes again, you'll wake like you did tonight."_

"_And be stuck within that prison."_

"_No,"_ Ahk shook his head. _"I'll be here to let you out again."_

Her brows came together tightly when she looked again at the coffin. Her grip on his arm tightened, but he didn't have a choice. Isis had to get in. Eventually, she looked at him again.

"_You'll be here when I wake?"_ she asked. He nodded. "_Will you let me out again?"_

"_Yes."_

She didn't know why, but something made her trust the man who knew more about the world she found herself in than she did. Reluctantly, she nodded. As he had when he helped her out, Ahkmenrah gently took her waist into his hands and helped guide her up and into the sarcophagus.

Isis slipped into the form-fitting structure. With her hands clasped to the edge, she looked again to him.

"_Do not leave me in here._"

"_I won't_." he told her kindly. "_I promise."_

She nodded slowly and began to slip back into the coffin. With a heavy sigh, Ahk lifted the lid back onto the structure and watched as she disappeared within. He felt guilty, but there was nothing he could do until the following night when they woke again.


	4. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 4**

Ahk found his feet falling faster than normal as he headed towards the newest displays. He was surprised to see it was so far way. The night before when he and his father had been told about the newest additions, he'd been a great deal closer to the wing. Now, he realized it was nearly on the other side of the museum.

He tried to get there as quickly as possible before Isis began to worry or panic again. When all of the displays awoke at the same time, it made it difficult for him to be at her sarcophagus before she began to panic.

By the time he made it to her hall, the lid was already swaying from side to side. He knew why. Having been locked in his own coffin before, Ahkmenrah knew she was pressing her palms against the thick wooden surface and jamming her knees into it as well to try and get it off. They weren't terribly deep which gave the inhabitant little room, but there was still enough to jostle things around. He jogged quickly to her side before she had the chance to topple the lid again and possibly cause the artifact damage.

"_Together,"_ he said as he reached the sarcophagus.

Isis seemed to hear him and pushed up once against the lid giving him the chance to slip his fingers into the gap. Together, they began to push it to the side. He guided it to the marble floor to keep it from being damaged. When it rested flatly on the floor, he gave her his attention.

Isis' eyes continued to dart around while she held the edges of the sarcophagus. Ahk could see the lingering fear of the unknown mixed with the desire to understand what was happening around her.

Ahk offered her his hand and without bothering to question it, she took hold of him and let the prince help her out of her coffin. As he lifted her up and over the edges, neither noticed her wrappings catch the wood. The sound of tearing fabric caught their attention when Isis' feet were firmly on the ground. She spun to see what happened.

A loose, aged and tattered thread of her bindings –one that had been hanging from the back of her knee- caught a single splinter of wood that jutted out from the lip of the casket. In normal circumstances, the splinter would have been the thing to break. But, as it was, Isis' "outfit" was over four thousand years old. It was thin, weak and had centuries upon centuries upon centuries to deteriorate. It was so weak in fact, that the splinter thinner than a toothpick grabbed hold and wouldn't let go. It tore her bindings, revealing the back of her knee, a portion of her calf and a bit of her thigh as well. In total, nearly a foot of her skin was now visible.

"_No,"_ she growled under her breath. "_What am I to do now?"_

Ahkmenrah's brows came together softly. He wasn't sure what to tell her. Unlike Isis, Ahk and his family were buried with their clothes. They had something to change into when they removed their bindings, but Isis didn't. It was probable to think she was buried with her personal effects too, but they weren't brought with her.

"_I'm sure we can find something…"_ he told her. Ahk tried to make her feel better, but he honestly wasn't sure they could do anything as far as a wardrobe change.

~!~

Isis wandered around the museum watching everything moving and going about its business. She still wasn't sure how to comprehend what she was seeing. It seemed too fantastical.

Ahkmenrah had left her side some time ago. He told her he was going to see if there wasn't something around to dress her in. Her bindings were so old; a strong wind might be enough to turn them to shreds. Both knew it, but until they were caught on the edge of her sarcophagus, it hadn't been something either truly thought about.

Knowing more about the modern world than she did, Ahk was well aware that there were easy ways to find clothing for the woman donning the true mummy fashions. He asked Tilly for help in finding Isis something to wear and was glad she came through for him.

The blond called someone she knew could help and had something for Ahk only a few hours after the sun had set. But, it wasn't quite the same as his or his parents' outfits. It was Egyptian, true, but… it was a costume. Isis was going to have to wear a Halloween costume.

It was the best he could do.

When he handed her the bag –plastic being yet another thing she didn't understand- Ahk led her to the ladies room to change. In favor of having something new to wear, Isis ignored the strange echoing room filled with stalls and a wall of mirrors.

What she pulled out of the bag was familiar, but the fabric was cheap and felt like it would fall apart easily. Still, she didn't complain. She was simply happy to have something else to wear.

Ahkmenrah was pacing slowly outside the bathrooms. He wasn't nervous, but standing still while waiting wasn't something he could do. So, he paced back and forth.

His heavy robes slid easily across the marble floor, the metal in his clothing jangled and shuffled. His odd movements and the fact they hadn't seen him in some time forced his parents to take notice.

"Is something wrong, my son?" Merenkahre asked calmly.

Ahk stopped his pacing long enough to address the pharaoh.

"No, father." He said.

While it wasn't an outright lie, Merenkahre was smart enough to know it wasn't the entire truth either. The older monarch stepped forward and gently set his hand on his son's shoulder.

"What worries you?"

Ahkmenrah didn't immediately offer an answer. He wasn't sure what worried him or if he was really worried at all. There was a random combination of emotions in his gut, so focusing on one didn't seem as easy as his father hoped.

Before he could open his mouth to speak, the door to the ladies room opened and Isis emerged. Her change in outfit drew attention and held it completely.

The costume Tilly's friend purchased was one of the Egyptian goddess Isis. No one knew why that was his pick, but it was oddly suiting.

The dress was incredibly tight (the modern 'sexy' costumes seemed to require it) and a brilliant red. It fell to her knees in the same swooping wrap the Egyptians were known for with their garments. She had a collar similar to Ahkmenrah's but it was made of fabric and fake gems as opposed to his real gold and jewels. And hanging from the back of each shoulder were two wide flaps of brilliantly colored fabric that fell to her mid-calf. In the picture of the package, they were meant to be wings. As was common in many pictures of the goddess, the costume came complete with two flaps of fabric the wearer could take hold of and spread to look more like the ancient Egyptian. But, despite the transformation, her feet remained bare. The costume didn't come with shoes…

Ahkmenrah's jaw fell a bit slack as he looked at the woman in the more provocative version of his peoples' clothes. While Ahk was more than capable of finding any modern woman attractive, there was something refreshing and more alluring when it was one of his own people. It struck a chord deep within his chest that he couldn't truly explain. And besides, it wasn't as though he'd come across another from his time _since_ his time.

"You look beautiful." He said before he could stop himself.

Isis looked at him oddly when he spoke. He thought it was because he'd spoken openly about his thoughts. He meant to be embarrassed, but realized quickly why she stared at him strangely. He spoke in English. Ahkmenrah sighed his internally relief before shifting his language.

"_Are they comfortable?"_ he asked, more than willing to pretend that had been his previous statement.

"_This is not Egyptian."_ She replied.

"_Not technically, no."_ he agreed. _"It's a costume. It was the best we could do."_

She nodded softly. Isis still felt uncomfortable in the thin, form-fitting fabric, but she was glad for the change.

"_Thank you."_ She told him after a moment.

Ahkmenrah smiled warmly and nodded. Looking up through her lashes at the young prince, Isis did something she hadn't done since waking. She smiled back.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ahk and Isis patrolled the museum. While her eyes were on their surroundings, his remained on her. He didn't realize he was staring, but he couldn't help it. She found everything so interesting, so wonderful and intriguing that it became enchanting to see. Ahk had become so accustomed to the magic of his tablet that it seemed trivial at this point. That coupled with his ability to jump through the ages and eaves drop on the scholars speaking around him, he'd remained up to date –to an extent- on the centuries. Everything was just so new to Isis.

"_So,"_ she said as they walked through the Asian wing decorated with ancient Chinese statues. "_A museum is a temple."_

"_A bit."_ He nodded. He liked answering her questions, even the simple ones. _"But people don't come here to worship. They come to learn, or see things they otherwise wouldn't be able to."_

Isis nodded her understanding.

"_And this is where you've been since passing?"_ she continued. "_In the British Museum? What is a British?"_

Ahkmenrah felt his lips turn into a wide smile. He couldn't help it. The question was –for lack of a better term- cute. It wasn't that Isis was slow. By all means she seemed intelligent for their time, but one had to remember more than four thousand years had passed since her time. She wouldn't have known about England back then, let alone what they called themselves.

"_British is not a what."_ He explained with a smile. _"It's what the people on this island call themselves."_

"_As we are Egyptians, they are British…ans?"_

This time he laughed. Again, he couldn't help it. Isis didn't find it funny and scowled.

"_You're mocking me." _She said.

Ahk quickly wiped the grin from his face.

"_No._" he told her. "_No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."_ She seemed to calm slightly. It was clear she was a rather proud person which he understood. "_The island we're on is called Britain. Therefore, the people are British."_ He explained. Isis nodded and they resumed a walk Ahk hadn't realized they'd stopped. "_And to answer your previous question, no, I wasn't always here. This building hasn't been around that long."_

"_Where were you?"_

His face fell slightly and seriousness marred his features. She watched him closely, curious by his reaction to her question.

"_For the majority of time, I was still in my family's tomb."_ He said. _"In my sarcophagus."_

Her delicate brows came together.

"_How long were you stuck in your sarcophagus?"_ she asked softly.

Ahkmenrah felt his shoulders flex and relax on impulse. It was as though he was subconsciously trying to shake the past from his body, like that would somehow delete it.

"_Until nine years ago."_ He admitted reluctantly.

Isis felt her stomach drop.

"_And all that time you were awake?"_ she asked before she could stop herself.

If the line of questioning hadn't been what it was, Isis would have realized she was prying. She would have realized she was badgering royalty, but it didn't seem to register with her. Instead, she was completely enthralled with what they were saying. It was too heartbreaking for her to stop asking questions.

Ahk didn't realize he'd nodded. He was lost in his own world, reliving the many, _many_ nights he'd woken within his tomb with nothing but the sounds of his own cries for help echoing back at him. With his parents buried in another wing of the tomb, Ahkmenrah had been on his own until the explorers found him thousands of years later. He was lucky to have even the slightest hint of his sanity remaining.

Something touched his right arm and forced the young King out of his thoughts. He looked to the connection and noticed Isis' delicate fingers curled around his forearm. Gradually, he met her gaze. She looked sadly up at him and like before he was lost in the sea blue color of her eyes.

"_I am so sorry."_ She told him with all sincerity.

A slow, creeping smile eventually twitched into existence in the corner of his mouth. Ahk placed his left hand on hers and held it softly in place. He nodded gently.

Together, and still holding her hand to him, Ahkmenrah and Isis continued to walk through the halls of the museum until the announcement came that the sun would be rising. Like he had the first night she woke, Ahk guided her to her coffin and helped her inside. Isis took to it easier than she had the night before, but didn't like it anymore. He understood.

~!~

And so it went for nearly a week. Ahkmenrah would wake and make his way directly to Isis' sarcophagus and help her out. Afterwards, they'd walk through the museum. He'd tell her what things were, where they'd come from and answer any questions she could think to ask. Finally, when he felt she had been as acclimated as one could be under the circumstances, Ahk decided to show her something incredible.

He took her outside.

To those who'd been outside in the last four thousand years, outside wouldn't have been impressive. But to Isis, it was a whole new world.

She sat on the edge of the roof with her legs hanging over the edge, leaning as far forward as she could, as she watched London move around them. Like he did inside, Ahkmenrah found himself watching her. She sat motionless for at least a half an hour, taking in everything she saw.

"_Incredible."_ She said in awe. _"And those metal chariots are for everyone?"_

"_Cars._" He corrects. "_They're called cars, and yes. Anyone who can afford one is welcome to them."_

"_And those there,"_ she pointed to street lights. "_Those are electricity, not lamps."_ He nodded and she found herself doing the same. "_Incredible. Then yes, I think this shall do."_

Ahkmenrah kept his smile, but eyed her strangely.

"_Do for what?" _he asked curiously.

"_My new home."_ Isis said simply. "_I would like to wake up to this every night, very much."_

Ahk's smile faltered and faded completely. His eyes traveled to the street below. A banner hung from a light not too far from the museum with the new exhibits displayed. It was meant to tell people what was featured and how long it would remain. It was the date that held his attention. Isis and the rest of the things that had come with her would be gone in eight days.

He looked again to the young woman at his side. He felt his gut turn and his heart drop. Seeing the excitement and happiness on her face, Ahk didn't have the heart to tell her it wouldn't last. He didn't have the courage to tell her she'd have to go back into her coffin and sleep when she was so happy to be out of it.

The rest of the night was tainted for the young king with the sad realization that his time with Isis was going to end.


	6. Chapter 6

**I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 6**

Ahkmenrah sat on the dais his parents were displayed on and watched Isis down below as she spoke with Tilly. He chewed on his thumbnail while his mind raced with conflicting thoughts. He was trying to think of what to do with Isis and his options were limited.

One, the truth was always an option. He could tell her that this night would be her last awake because she was being returned to Italy and she'd never wake again. Then he would have to see her heart break because she had no choice but to return indefinitely to her sarcophagus.

Two, he could refuse to tell her at all. Tonight would be her last real night awake. Tomorrow was the final day of the display which meant she'd be moved after the museum closed. On days like that, Tilly turned the middle square of the tablet so no one would wake while there were witnesses, which meant Isis would never know she was gone.

Three, he could keep her… like she was some kind of pet…

Ahk growled and rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes. None of those options were anything he wanted. He didn't want to tell her she was leaving because he didn't want to see the heartbreak in her eyes when he did. He didn't want to lie to her because –honestly- he wasn't entirely certain he could. And he couldn't keep her either. For one thing, she wasn't his to keep, and she wasn't a possession at all, but mostly because there was nowhere for her to go.

When Ahk and the others had come to the British Museum, he was brought in a crate alongside his friends. When he stayed, Ahk did so without his sarcophagus. That was still in New York with the majority of his display. Sleeping arrangements had been difficult, but his parents agreed to 'bunk together' giving Ahkmenrah his own coffin. Thankfully the sarcophagi the royals were buried in were a bit larger to accommodate all of the treasures they kept for the Afterlife.

So what the hell was he supposed to do? Tell her or not… he didn't know, and the longer he thought about it the more his head began to ache.

"You are conflicted, my child."

The sweet voice of his mother forced Ahk to look up. She approached from behind and smiled warmly to him as she took a seat beside him. Ahkmenrah looked back out at Isis while she talked to Tilly. The blond had helped Isis put in ear-buds and pressed play on her IPod. Isis jumped and looked around frantically for the source of the sound only to have the guard explain it to her. Ahk smiled to himself.

"The Priestess," Shepseheret said when she noticed his gaze. "You care for her, don't you?"

"She doesn't know what is coming." He said, ignoring his mother's assumptions. "I don't know if I have the heart to tell her she'll never wake again."

"Then, if tonight is going to be her last, perhaps you should make it a memorable one."

He felt her gently touch his shoulder before standing and disappearing once again into the background. She left him with little in the ways of help, but she was right too. No matter what Ahkmenrah decided to do, he would make tonight worth remembering.

Pushing himself up, Ahkmenrah set off to set up what he planned.

~!~

Ahkmenrah held Isis' hand as he led her through the museum. He continued to wear a smile and no matter how many times she asked where they were going, he refused to tell her. Instead, he guided her.

Eventually, they stepped through a threshold that led to the Reading Room. Isis mouth slacked immediately. It was a great, round room filled with books. Shelf, after shelf, after shelf… more books than she could ever have imagined were everywhere.

The ceiling was lined with large windows that let in every hint of moonlight from outside. She could see the rain sprinkling on the glass. The light within the Reading Room was dim. It was one of the wings of the museum that remained subtly lit after closing time and it only added to the beauty of it.

Ahkmenrah led her to the middle of the massive structure where everything was centered. He pulled out a chair so she could sit and slid into the one beside her.

"_This is wondrous."_ She muttered.

While tombs and great structures weren't uncommon in her time –she'd lived in a temple her entire life- those were made with large blocks and stones. This seemed to be comprised of smaller bits. She couldn't see the seams anywhere which gave the illusion it was all one piece decorated with beautifully intricate moldings. It was incredible to her and he knew it would have been.

"_There's more."_ He told her with a smile. "_Keep watching."_

She glanced to him only to see Ahkmenrah pointing skyward. The excited smile on his face was contagious and while she wanted to look up, Isis found it difficult. Her eyes were focused only on him for the first time since arriving in this strange place.

While Ahk kept looking up, Isis stole the chance to look at him. He was an attractive young man with flawless caramel skin like the rest of her people. His eyes were a beautiful green like she'd never seen and his teeth were perfect. It might have been strange for her to admire his smile, but honestly… dental healthcare wasn't a 'thing' four thousand years ago. You'd be surprised by how many people died from tooth infections…

The soft blue light of the room cast him in a special glow. It made him look otherworldly and ethereal. But his smile and overall demeanor made him childlike and sweet. Isis felt sad that she knew nothing about him or his family.

A loud shriek suddenly echoed around them. Isis jumped and her eyes traveled up immediately. A second later, birds of all kinds suddenly swooped in through the doors. None bore feathers, but each was incredible. They were ceramic and stone and all other manner of elements that had no business flying in the first place, but they were.

They circled around the Reading Room. Their wings caught bits of light and soon they were nothing more than a moving rainbow. It was one of the most amazing things Isis had ever seen.

"_They come in here because it's one of the largest rooms with the highest ceilings."_ Ahkmenrah explained. "_They fly like this until morning."_

"_They are beautiful."_ She said in awe.

Ahkmenrah felt her speak. When he glanced to the side, he realized Isis was leaning closer to him. She didn't know why, but Isis felt the need to whisper and leaned over to do so. With her eyes up, she didn't realize just how close she was to the young royal.

He stared at her openly, not bothering to hide it, because she was so close. She was cast in the same soft light as everything else and as a result her skin glowed. Ahk felt his mouth slack slightly as he looked over her features. He could even smell her. She didn't smell like the sarcophagus, or her bindings, or anything else that indicated she'd been locked in a box for thousands of years. She smelled like home.

How, he didn't know, but she did. She smelled like the salty air near the Delta. She smelled like the dry, sandy air of his home. He even smelled a hint of jasmine oil, though he felt fairly certain he had made that fragrance up in his mind. Still, she smelled incredible and it made him speak before thinking better of it.

"Beautiful." He whispered.

The word in English caused Isis to turn. She felt electricity jolt through her body at the realization they were less than a foot apart. Her eyes met his and only a moment passed before one of them moved. Tentatively, Ahkmenrah leaned forward just enough to close the distance between them and kissed her. His lips molded against hers and seemed to ignite with fire.

Ahk's face twisted into an expression of pain as he gently cupped her cheek in his hand. The kiss didn't hurt, but in that instant he was forced to realize that he hadn't kissed anyone in so long that he craved the affection.

After a breath or two, they parted. Isis looked back at him with wide, innocent eyes. In the dim light of the Reading Room they glowed. He wanted to repeat the action, but Ahkmenrah was having trouble discerning her expression. It was blank. He didn't know if that was good or bad and the longer she went without speaking, the more concerned he became that he'd done something wrong.

"_Have I offended you?"_ he asked as he leaned back just enough to speak.

"_I…"_ she hesitated. "_I'm a priestess."_

Ahkmenrah was about to ask what she meant by the random statement until he remembered himself better. Back in their time, priests and priestesses could marry, but most women chose to 'marry' the god they served. And he remembered hearing stories about Isis and her father. Isis never wed. Her life was devoted to protecting Osiris' burial site. She never left the temple grounds.

"_You've never kissed anyone before, have you?"_ he found himself asking.

"_No,"_ she muttered under her breath. He could tell she was embarrassed and while the sentiment made him want to smile, he didn't for fear of offending her. _"I am not meant to be with a man,"_ she moved away from him a bit. "_Ever."_

He felt a chill in the pit of his stomach. Ahk had forgotten that to him the old ways died a long time ago, but to those like his parents and Isis, it was yesterday. Until Merenkahre told her, Isis hadn't realized she was dead. He'd evolved. They were still stuck in the past.

"_You're not bound by the old ways."_ He told her simply. "_It is 2015 AD. The old ways died thousands of years ago."_

"_Not to me." _She said. Isis pushed herself back in her rolling back so she could stand.

Whether he meant to or not, Ahkmenrah had offended her. It wasn't intentional –she could tell- so she said nothing of it, but he had just the same. To her, a person who was raised in the temples and conditioned to remain a priestess for the entirety of her life, he'd made her life's work sound ridiculous. He made it sound like she'd wasted her time serving their Gods which, in their time, had been the highest honor. Only the priests and priestess were even allowed to enter the temples. Her people were revered along the same lines as the Kings and Queens. And to hear a man still wearing his elaborate robes and the crown of a King telling her _the old ways were dead_ was a bit insulting.

With a saddened expression, Isis excused herself. Ahkmenrah watched her walk towards the door. His mind raced. He didn't mean to upset her and had regardless.

Isis might have been sensitive about it, but again, -to her- it still felt like the old days. No time had passed for the young woman other than the few days in the museum. In truth, she still hadn't come to terms with being dead in the first place. There had been so much to absorb that the fact she'd died somehow took the backseat.

But as she left the Reading Room and finally had a moment to herself, the realization that she was an antique, that the people she knew and loved were gone, began to sink in. Her steps slowed and her eyes lost focus on the things around her. Her father… the other priests in the temple, priestesses… everyone she'd ever known… was gone.

Isis' eyes began to well with tears as she thought more and more about being thrust into the future. She didn't even remember dying… how could she have forgotten that.

Ahkmenrah had gone after Isis when she left the Reading Room. He wanted to apologize for whatever he'd said, but hesitated when he saw her in the hall. Isis was standing with her back to him, a hand resting on the wall to steady herself and her head down. He took slow steps towards her.

"_Isis,"_ he said softly as he approached. He didn't want to startle her. As he reached her, Ahkmenrah moved around to the front so he could see her face. She didn't look at him right away, but he could still tell something was wrong. _"Are you all right?"_ he felt compelled to ask.

"_They're all gone."_ She whispered. Isis gradually looked up and Ahk was able to see tears on her cheeks. She was crying and it made his gut clench. _"Everything,"_ her voice cracked and her brows came together. "_Everything's gone."_

He remembered that moment. He remembered the instant he realized everything was gone and he was all that remained of his kingdom and it was heartbreaking. Nothing could compare to the emptiness one felt knowing their world had disappeared.

Ahkmenrah stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. Isis immediately clung to his jeweled robes and buried her face in his collar. She squeezed him as tightly as she could as everything around her came crashing down.

"_I am sorry."_

He heard her breath hitch and felt her begin to tremble. But there was nothing he could do, not really at least. So he hugged her and let her cry into his shoulder for as long as she needed to.

This wasn't how he imagined her final night would be. He wanted it filled with wonder and happiness, that way no matter what happened she'd have the memories. But it wasn't. The memories that came weren't ones he wanted her to relive.

Perhaps this was best. Perhaps Isis wasn't prepared for a life out of her time. Some couldn't take it, like Lancelot for example. Some just weren't meant to wake.

The thought of her returning to an endless sleep made his heart ache and his eyes burn with the promise of his own tears. This most certainly how he wanted tonight to go.


	7. Chapter 7

**Fairly short, but the next chapter is the last and it's really short too. This was just a good place to end this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 7**

Isis held Ahk's hand as he led her back towards the more populated wings of the museum. She clung to him as something steady, something that could anchor her while reality came crashing forward.

When the sounds of the other displays and the overall 'busyness' could be heard around the corner, Ahkmenrah slowed the pair until they stopped entirely. He guided himself in front of Isis and drew her eye. She was still lost in her own thoughts, but eventually met his gaze.

Ahk's gut twisted with what he was about to say.

"_Tonight is the last night of your display."_ He told her rather bluntly. Blurting it out was the best he could manage.

"_I don't understand."_

His eyes darted to the floor for a moment and uncertainty drifted into his gut.

"_When you sleep tonight,_" he hesitantly met her eyes. "_You won't wake again."_

Her brows came together as she processed what he was saying.

"_Why are you telling me this?"_

"_Because," _a lump began to form in his throat. "_It's clear you don't wish to be here."_

"_Is it?"_

"_Not everyone is ready to wake."_ He continued Ahkmenrah had to look away from her and chose to keep his voice as clinical as possible when faced with something he never wanted to experience. "_Perhaps it's best if you sleep again."_

Silence moved between them that lasted seconds, yet felt like an eternity. He continued to look at anything that wasn't her. He wasn't sure he could bare it.

"_Yes,"_ she finally said to his shock. Ahk's gaze snapped to her immediately. "_Perhaps you're right."_

His brows gently pulled together, but he did his best to keep the growing hurt from his face. Instead, he wanted nothing more than to flee the situation he found himself in. Being the epitome of politeness, Ahkmerah bowed softly to the young woman before leaving her in the hall to herself. His jaunt was meant to be causal, but his sandaled feet fell quickly against the marble floor.

~!~

Isis was still standing in the entryway to her display staring at her sarcophagus. She didn't want to return to the darkness awaiting her, but she didn't want to remain in this world either. She understood nothing, not the language nor the people she was surrounded by. Those she loved were gone. The world she'd known and grown up in was relegated to legend and it left her swimming. She didn't even have a friend to lean on while trying to come to terms with everything, at least she assumed she didn't.

The soft shuffle of robes behind her went unnoticed until someone darkened her periphery. Isis shifted just enough to see Merenkahre standing beside her with his staff held firm and his stance as rigid as stone. He didn't meet her gaze, but shared it. They both stared at her exhibit.

"_This is not our world."_ He said after a brief silence.

"_No,"_ she agreed. "_It's not."_

The King took a few steps forward until he stood in her line of sight, ensuring he had her complete attention for what he had to say to her.

"_My son cares for you."_ He said bluntly. Isis shifted and diverted her eyes. "_I have never seen him take to someone so quickly."_

"_Why are you telling me this?"_

"_Because it frightens me." _He replied. Isis' gaze shot to him just as the aged man's face relaxed and twisted into sadness. She didn't understand. "_My gift to my child, was also a curse I never understood. His tablet, the object that brings everything to life each night, may be new to us, but has been at his side since his death."_ The sadness in Merenkahre's eyes deepened. "_He has spent thousands of years awake… alone."_

"_That is none of my concern."_

Isis stepped around the King, but he reached out and held her arm to keep her near.

"_If fear is what's leading you back into that tomb, know that it will pass child. But regret is something that will linger."_

Her brows came together at his cryptic words, but without saying anything else, the King left Isis to herself. She wasn't sure what his objective had been, but it left her more confused than before.

Isis looked once more to her sarcophagus. She was forced to think about everything the pharaoh had told her. Ahkmenrah was left to himself for thousands of years, alone and undying. It was something Isis didn't want to think about because it made her feel sad for the young king. It made her think again about going back to sleep, and she felt as though Merenkahre knew it would.

In the short time she'd been awake, Isis was drawn to the young King in ways she'd never experienced before. She felt as though they were connected somehow, that their paths were meant to cross and it frightened her. She'd never felt anything so strong for someone in her life and she wasn't sure how to proceed. While her mind had been occupied primarily with the strange and new, Ahkmenrah was always there, guiding her and helping her to understand. It endeared him to her and forced her to care about him without even knowing she was. In fact, it wasn't until they were in the Reading Room together that Isis realized just how much she'd grown to care about Ahk.

But this wasn't her world…

Isis found herself repeating that over and over the more she began to doubt her choice.

Tilly's voice suddenly boomed overhead telling her and everyone else that the sun was about to rise. She gave them twenty minutes before then.

Isis lingered in her wing. Part of her wanted to say her farewells to the prominent family in the Egyptian wing, but another part didn't want to see them again. Her resolve was already cracking and if she saw Ahkmenrah again, Isis wasn't sure she could climb back into her sarcophagus.

Thinking better of it, the young priestess headed for her coffin. The lid was marginally askew giving her enough room to leap up and slide in beneath the heavy block. When she was nestled within the personalized tomb, she pressed her palms to the lid and slid it into place over her.

Ahkmenrah stood at the end of the wing and watched as the lid jostled back over her. His brows came together. He'd hoped to see her one last time, to perhaps tell her goodbye, or apologize for the Reading Room, but she seemed to have other plans. Feeling a pit grow in his gut, Ahk made his way through the winding halls and to his own tomb for the night.

As he slid the lid into place, he felt his eyes begin to burn and the undeniable loneliness he'd felt for thousands of years begin to return.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Thank you to everyone who commented, faved, and followed this short story. I hope you liked it. I thought it was just a little something nice and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy the final chapter!**

**Chapter 8**

Ahk stood again at the end of the wing Isis' display had once inhabited. It was empty and refilled with a few kiosks and benches until they could think of something else to fill it with.

The emptiness in his chest began to pulsate again. It was difficult for him to describe, but he knew it was all consuming. It simply felt like a part of him was missing.

The intense emotional response to her departure wasn't lost on Ahk. He knew there was no rational reason why he should feel the way he did with someone he'd met barely more than a week prior, but that didn't change the fact that he did. Maybe it was because she was the only other Egyptian he'd ever met since being entombed? Maybe it was because part of him longed to be home again? Maybe it was because he'd simply become desperate to share something in common with someone that was as old as he was? Whatever the reason, it no longer mattered. Isis was gone.

With the pit in his chest continuing to grow, Ahkmenrah abandoned the depressing wing in favor of something else.

Like he assumed they would, Tilly had turned the tablet 'off' so the pieces in Isis' display could be moved out and transported without anything interfering. The strange break seemed to have confused a few of the other displays that were aware of their surroundings. The animals and the like were just happy to be walking around again.

Everything around him seemed so happy and grateful and relieved, while he felt none of those things. He felt… nothing.

Ahkmenrah was slowly making his way through the museum. He found himself walking the same paths he had with Larry and Nick the night he and his friends came to London for the first time. The memories of his friends –the people he'd known for years- made him smile softly, but they were heavy too. He missed them. Even though Ahk knew this was the price of being 'immortal', he never had people he was scared of leaving behind before. He never had those connections after being locked in his tomb for centuries upon centuries, but now he felt it. Like with Isis, they were gone.

He growled to himself as he turned left into the Asian exhibits. He vaguely noticed the Garuda chirping at him. Ahkmenrah wasn't afraid to enter the serpent's room, not anymore. It had calmed since being allowed to wake every night. True it was still a fearsome creature, but again, it had calmed.

He continued on, stepping around the creature to give it the space it wanted regardless –and content to keep walking- when something grabbed his robe. Ahk paused and looked down to see the little steel bird/hybrid tugging at him. Being the overly kind man he was, Ahkmenrah knelt beside the Garuda.

"What is it?" he asked.

It began to chirp and squawk and make the noises he assumed were speaking. It bounced from side to side and flailed its arms much like it had the night the New Yorkers had originally arrived. Ahk's brows slowly began to pull together.

"You…" he began to translate. "Saw…" his head began to tilt to the side while the Garuda continued bouncing. "Something." Ahk said flatly. "I'm sorry friend, but I've no idea what that means." He said, pointing to the creature's odd movements.

Frustrated, the Garuda pointed angrily to the serpent in the center of the room. With determined, irritated and clanking steps, it bounded for the Xiangliu and –to the young pharaoh's shock- kicked it as hard as he imagined a one foot tall statue could kick. Ahkmenrah raised a brow to the sight as he approached with caution.

As he thought it would, the serpent hissed and groaned as it rose high. The Garuda, undeterred by the monster now, began to 'speak' to it and point frantically at the young king. The monster looked from the bird to the king and back again. Something unsaid passed between them and the massive snake reacted.

The metal scales encasing its body began to clank and clink and scrape as it unfurled completely revealing something within. There, curled against the stone the Xiangliu was wrapped around was Isis. Ahkmenrah felt his stomach drop and his jaw turn lax as she was revealed to him like some incredible thing.

She was sitting on the rock curled within herself until the monster shifted. When she felt it move, she relaxed and slowly began to sit up. The room was shown to her again and she was finally given the chance to move. But she didn't. With an arm draped along the rock's surface, her legs gently bent beneath her body and looking completely like a posed sculptor herself, Isis finally noticed Ahkmenrah was standing not too far from her. For a moment, she was as surprised to see him.

The monster continued to undulate around her alerting the young woman to the fact she might need to move. Gently and sure to avoid one of its nine heads, Isis jumped down from the rock and took gradual steps forward.

"You stayed." Ahkmenrah muttered.

Isis' brows came together. She didn't understand what he said, but felt something looming overhead. She turned just enough to notice the snake was beginning to eye the pair like food.

"_Perhaps we should leave the creature."_ She suggested.

Ahk looked up and noticed the same thing she had and agreed. Taking her hand, he led her quickly out of the chamber. Just because the snake was fine with them for a moment didn't mean it would remain as such.

When they were safely away from the monster and its many heads, Ahkmenrah gave Isis his full attention.

"_I thought you'd left two days ago with the rest of your display?"_ he asked. He couldn't hide his surprise.

"_Are you disappointed I've remained?'_

"_No,"_ he smiled. Isis felt herself share the action. A smile soon spread across her lips as well. "_Simply surprised. What has changed your mind?"_

Isis shifted on her feet for a moment as she thought about how to phrase her answer.

"_Something your father said."_ She admitted. Ahkmenrah's face went blank. There was any number of things his father could have said and he knew it. "_He told me that the fear of this world was fleeting, but regret would stay with me."_

"_Regret of what?"_

A pale, rosy blush touched her bronzed cheeks.

"_I would regret leaving."_

Ahkmerah felt the smile long before she noticed it. Isis was hesitant to meet his gaze for fear of his no longer wanting her in the museum, but when she did finally look up, he was smiling. The relief she felt was overwhelming. Since hiding within the monster, Isis was afraid she'd made the wrong choice. If she had, there would have been no way for it to be undone. What would Tilly do? Call the Vatican and tell them they left a mummy behind? There was no telling how many people would lose their job over such an oversight, and the questions that would arise to how Isis got out of her sarcophagus would be staggering. As it was, she was happy to see otherwise.

The regret of choosing the darkness over Ahkmenrah was almost instantaneous. The moment she was concealed within her sarcophagus, Isis felt the regret and fear swarm within her. Almost immediately, she began to shove at her lid to escape. It took longer than she thought, but finally she was able to get the thick wooden slab off enough she could escape. Before fleeing, she slid it back into place and raced for the Egyptian wing.

The other displays were already taking their places as she ran through the halls. She had to hurry. She could already feel the sun's pull and knew she had minutes.

When she made it to the Egyptian wing, the sarcophagi were already closed which meant the royal family was in slumber. She had to find somewhere else to hide otherwise she'd be whisked away with the rest of her things. Soon, Isis was desperate for somewhere to conceal herself. It was only by chance she stumbled into the Asian displays and found the Xiangliu. How it was all right with hiding her, she didn't know, but the massive creature shielded her within its scales until the museum woke again.

Ahkmenrah continued to hold Isis' hand as they walked back to the Egyptian displays. Neither seemed to notice it, or care.

As they turned the corner, each caught the eye of his parents. Merenkahre and Shepseheret spotted their son and noticed he was no longer alone. Each felt an endearing smile touch their lips at the sight, each for their own reasons.

As it was, neither knew if Isis remaining within the museum was in her best interest, but she knew one thing for sure, she didn't want to be away from Ahkmenrah. Whatever she felt for him, or drew her near, was too strong to ignore. For the time, Isis felt she might have a home. For the first time since waking, she felt at ease.

Slowly, she looked back up to the man at her side. Ahk felt her eyes and glanced down to her. She stared at him with an emotion he found difficult to identify. It was akin to apprehensive hope. Honestly, he shared the sentiment. They were both in uncharted territory, but there was something else too. Despite not knowing what would happen, they were glad to have someone else to share the journey with.

Ahkmenrah smiled with genuine happiness again and squeezed her hand just a bit firmer than before. Isis did the same.


End file.
